A sky full of Paraglides, or Ölüdeniz

Amateurs of paragliding are probably already choosing a place for aerial madness. If they are considering resorts without the crowds and noise, they should consider Ölüdeniz, a town on the Turkish Riviera.

There are resorts in Turkey where you can lie on the beach during the day, and go crazy at night in one of the dozens of pubs. Ölüdeniznie is such a place. Despite the constantly growing popularity, the town still manages to remain relatively intimate. Relative, because the biggest attraction of the resort, the lagoon, is separated from the mainland by a sandy strip that has transformed over time into a large parking lot. On the other hand, the local buildings, including hotels, are low and nicely integrated into the surrounding greenery. Apart from that, there is not a single route here, which makes it safe.

The magic of Ölüdeniz

Ölüdeniz is located on the Mediterranean Sea, in a picturesque bay surrounded on three sides by mountains (the highest of them is Babadag, 1969 m above sea level). It is approximately 14 km from Fethiye. This popular Turkish resort will meet the expectations of tourists who are looking for a vacation in a beautiful place and do not want to spend a vacation in a city full of noisy groups from around the world. According to some visitors, it is the most intimate seaside town in Turkey. There is no characteristic (and irritating for some) persuasion to use the services of beaters, which tourists encounter in larger resorts of the Turkish Riviera.

The main advantage of Ölüdeniz is the already mentioned lagoon located at the end of a wide strip of beach. It is a nature reserve, and the strip itself is one of the most photographed beaches in the Mediterranean. What's more, in the rankings carried out by readers of the most popular travel magazines and websites, it is always at the forefront in terms of beauty. The waters of the bay are famous for their shades of turquoise and aquamarine, and their purity confirms the status of the Blue Flag .

Extreme sports take it easy

Oludeniz is famous not only for its beautiful lagoon and warmer water than in other regions. Mount Babadag is one of the favorite places of paragliding enthusiasts. The sky on which paragliders sneak is an element of the landscape that sunbathers do not pay much attention to anymore, it is so typical. The vast majority (if not all) of the local travel agencies offer visitors the opportunity to jump on a paraglider with an instructor, and the landing strip is located on the city beach. The flight takes about 25-30 minutes and takes off, depending on the weather conditions, from one of the three available heights: 1700, 1800 or 1960 meters.

After traversing the area by the bay, you can sit in one of the numerous restaurants and eat. Due to the fact that a large percentage of tourists are British, the infrastructure has adapted to the customer and we can easily find hamburgers or fish and chips on the menu. The prices are also very European. Those who would like to get acquainted not only with the attractions of the area, but also with the local cuisine, must look a bit more carefully. In restaurants located a short distance from the main pedestrian street, you can order delicious manti, i.e. tiny dumplings stuffed with meat, served with flavored oil and yoghurt, as well as pancake-like gözleme , served with ayran (Turkish yoghurt drink).

Where to stay

After an eventful day, you can relax at the Sugar Beach Club campsite, located approx. 5 km south of the city. The accommodation for an adult costs 15 TL (about PLN 22), the same is the price of a motorhome pitch.

Ölüdeniz is a small town - you can walk around the center in a half-hour walk. Thirsty for attractions, you can also go on a boat trip around the surrounding islets, go on a trip to Pamukkale or Ephesus, as well as visit the Saklikent canyon. The Turkish Riviera is waiting for them all year round.